Future D-segment Alfa Romeo rear-wheel-drive after all?

1 December 2012 14:35 2 comments

AutoEdizione.com was pretty much the first source to report the news earlier this year, but the rumors of a rear-wheel-drive Giulia are now again going viral. This time, it is the American website Automobile, which we think is a pretty reliable source because of their overseas’ position and the fact that they’re not as worried about this matter as we are. Back in May, an employee of Fiat SpA told us about RWD in a Turin corridor, and now it was again mentioned in a brief conversation with the CEO, so says this American source.

America will be the launch platform of a new generation of Alfa Romeos, which now only consists of the compact Giulietta and MiTo. According to Marchionne, the brand will position itself in the premium-brands with front-, rear- and four-wheel-drive models. Sportsmanship will play a vital role in all this. Next to the 4C and Duetto, there is also a sedan approaching, in between the D- and E-segment. This model will be produced in Mirafiori and is going to be brilliant, so says Marchionne.

The name ‘Giulia’ wasn’t mentioned and neither was the launch date. Marchionne did, however, say he truly ‘hopes’ it will be 2014 instead of 2015. Rumors have been going around in America about a new medium-sized SRT coupe, possibly named ‘Barracuda’. They are assuming a lot of the technical stuff will be shared with the Alfa-sedan, including the rear-wheel-drive. Marchionne talked about a basis which would be perfect to make Alfa Romeo bigger. Front-wheel-drive would only be used for the smaller models.

The CEO couldn’t help himself from laughing with Piëch, the man with a management-position at VW, his wish to buy Alfa Romeo; “What he doesn’t realize, is that total world domination is something that belongs to the past.”

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I don’t get a clear picture out of that “Automobile” rumor/interview mix. There’s no Marchionne sentence which combines the D/E size car and RWD. Maybe they mix up the Giulia and 166 successor hints? Or there’s the FWD Giulia and a RWD Coupé? Of course we all want RWD cars from Alfa and a new developed platform would justify the delays… Wasn’t the Giulia supposed to come out already in very early 2014? The FWD Chrysler 200 should be presented next month.

No real promises have been made yet about the release date of the Giulia, we’re assuming late 2014/early 2015… And as far as which wheels the power will be sent to, we wouldn’t even be surprised anymore if it came out that it will have one- or five-wheel-drive. We’re still hoping for RWD of course, though that seems rather improbable. But who knows… We have reported before that there were rumors (again, no facts) about a new RWD-platform being developed for Alfa Romeos and Dodges/Chryslers. Unfortunately, practically all we’re able to report on Alfa Romeo are rumors. Once the 4C is out, that’ll be a huge relief.